"Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by such slight ligaments are we bound to prosperity or ruin." — Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

.

.

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thus strangely are our souls constructed,

(and thus strangely are our fates intertwined)

Madara's chakra chains grabbed hold of the nine bijuu, and across the battlefield Kakashi felt a terrible premonition.

In that moment of distraction Black Zetsu almost managed to escape, but both himself and Minato responded instantly and the three of them were once more at a stalemate. Kakashi could clearly sense the killing intent in his sensei's chakra, and even though he felt the same frustration at being unable to help Naruto, there was something else...

A strange yet familiar sense of calm, pulling him towards the certainty of a decision he had made long ago.

And then, with a touch of déjà vu, he knew.

Kakashi withdrew his kunai from Obito's neck and stood, eyes fixed upon the battle in the distance. He felt Minato's gaze turn to him, and smiled.

You don't have to worry, was what he wanted to say. I'll protect him.

But then he decided that such words were unnecessary, for he already knew what he was going to do and how it was all going to end. To say any more would only be redundant.

Kakashi pulled upon his remaining chakra and vanished, trailing silver light and silent promises in his wake.

.

He saw the others falter, their scarlet chakra cloaks dissipating as the Kyuubi's golden shroud was gradually ripped away.

I will never give up, Naruto's voice echoed within his mind, and he shook his head.

You always push yourself too hard, he replied silently, even as he increased his pace in order to get there in time.

I promised myself that I would always keep moving forward to meet you – to see you, to hear your voice, to catch you when you fall.

But this... will be the last time.

He reached Naruto just as the Kazekage's sand rose up to support them, and caught the falling boy against his chest. It was the same as and yet also opposite of the last time, when he had found Naruto exhausted and on the verge of collapse outside their destroyed village. He had been worried back then, but the warmth against his back and Naruto's relieved utterance of his name had assured him that the boy was alright.

Now he felt so eerily cold it was terrifying, and even as Kakashi pressed the almost-lifeless body closer to himself he could hardly feel a heartbeat.

Kakashi turned, and met Gaara's worried eyes with his own calm, determined gaze. He said nothing – and once again there was no need for words, because the former jinchuuriki understood better than anyone else what his intention was. Within seconds they were transported far away from where Madara was, shielded by a wall of swirling sand.

He let himself sink to his knees so that Naruto could be laid on the ground. They were safe for the moment, yet his hands lingered upon the torn orange jacket he had grown too used to seeing. Naruto rarely looked so weakened, so vulnerable...

Kakashi sighed at his own foolishness, but allowed himself that one last luxury even as he prepared for the last jutsu he would ever use. He would fulfil what he had declared to Obito only moments ago, prove true his words with the permanence of action, and there was only one thing that pained him.

Just one.

He had hoped that somehow he would be able to stay a little longer. To stay by Naruto's side, to help him walk the difficult path he had chosen, if only for a little longer...

It was nothing more than a foolish fancy.

He almost wanted to say something, to break the silence he had fallen into since the moment he'd decided his own fate, but his voice made no sound. And he told himself that was fine, because it didn't matter whether he left any words behind as long as he did what he had promised to do.

Kakashi tried to smile, but didn't know if it worked. (He wondered if Naruto would call him a liar.)

I will always, always protect you, but this is as far as I'll go...

It's enough, for me. To get to where you are... is all I have ever needed.

And yet, he suddenly realised that there was so much he had never given voice to, and he would never have the chance—

"Sen... sei..." Naruto whispered, straining to look at him.

Kakashi brushed his fingers over the young man's eyelids, gently coaxing them to close.

"Go to sleep, Naruto," and willed himself to believe that his voice did not shake. "I'll wake you up, later."

"No." The reply was firm, yet empty of Naruto's usual liveliness. "I know what you're going to do, sensei. I know."

Kakashi said nothing.

Naruto felt a warm hand patting his hair, slow and careful yet somehow... distant. Lost. Another came up over his eyes, smoothing over his eyelids again and again in gentle, desperate persuasion.

"Sleep," Kakashi murmured, and his hand only shook a little.

"I know you were watching that time when Chiyo-obaachan used her jutsu... to bring Gaara back." Naruto blinked tiredly, and wished he could see the face above. "You were watching with your Sharingan because you knew. You knew what she was going to do, and you knew she was going to die. And you also knew... no, you believed that one day you would want to use such a jutsu as well, didn't you?" He could not move, for he had barely enough strength left to speak, but the hand covering his eyes finally slid lower and long fingers stroked lightly along his cheek.

"Naruto..." And Kakashi hated himself for not being able to protect the owner of that name, even though he had long ago realised how much it truly meant to him. "Naruto. I'm sorry... I couldn't do anything. You... must be tired, so close your eyes and rest, Naruto." His arms slid lower to wrap around a chest which shuddered as Naruto struggled to breathe, heart weakening with every passing second.

He felt so very, very cold.

The empty seal that had once held the Kyuubi was now an invisible wound, from which the remainder of Naruto's life-force was rapidly bleeding out. Kakashi knew for a fact that no jinchuuriki could survive bijuu extraction, and it was only a matter of time before death would claim Naruto in the same way it had claimed Kushina.

There was only one thing Kakashi could do.

"Naruto..." he whispered, slowly pulling the boy higher, closer into his embrace, and leaned down so he could still feel the weakening pulse. "Naruto. Naruto. Naruto." He spoke the name against the boy's neck, repeating it again and again almost in time to the too-slow beating of a struggling heart.

"I don't want to sleep," Naruto said softly, cold lips brushing against Kakashi's ear. "Not yet. Not now. Because if I close my eyes for just a second too long – " Sharp teeth nipped gently on his ear and he gasped, startled—

"You won't be here anymore… when I open them again."

Kakashi felt a pain burning in his chest and throat and eyes. He shook his head, and pressed a single soft kiss into Naruto's golden hair.

"Don't," Naruto gave a choked sob, tears forming in his eyes even as the light within them began to fade. "You… promised…"

Kakashi placed his hands onto Naruto's chest, over his heart.

"I'm sorry."

Naruto's eyes closed, tears falling as he drew his final breath, and a sphere of pale blue chakra formed around Kakashi's hands.

Kakashi drifted back into consciousness in an unfamiliar place. The lighting was slightly dim, though enough to see by, and he appeared to be floating on the surface of a large body of water. He turned his head slightly to the left, and found himself staring into Naruto's wide blue eyes.

Both of them sat up immediately. Naruto scrambled to his feet, pulling Kakashi up by the hand, and—

SLAP.

Kakashi stared at him, too stunned to react.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?!" Naruto yelled at him, angry tears spilling from his eyes as he grabbed the front of Kakashi's flak jacket and shook him. "You promised me – you can't just – you liar…"

"Naruto, I…" Kakashi began, raising his hands in a placating manner, but found himself at a complete loss for words. Fortunately for him, Naruto was distracted from continuing to manhandle him upon catching sight of another person not far away.

"Who are you? What is this place? Am I dead? Is he dead? HEY, I DUNNO WHO YOU ARE, BUT IF YOU CONTROL LIFE AND DEATH IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER, THIS IDIOT HERE ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD, PLEASE SEND HIM BACK – MMPH!"

"Naruto, please don't shout," Kakashi sighed, keeping his hand over Naruto's mouth as his former student continued to utter muffled protests into his gloved palm.

"For reasons unknown to me, I had not foreseen this particular scenario within the realm of possibilities," the stranger commented, watching them with some bemusement.

Naruto started trying to bite at the hand covering his mouth, sharp teeth catching on the fabric of Kakashi's glove, and the older of the two removed his hand with a grimace.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked again, eyes narrowed in a suspicious squint as he stared at the unknown third person, which appeared to be an old man. Possibly the most extraordinary old man Naruto had ever seen, as he was levitating in mid-air.

The man spoke as he slowly floated closer to where they were standing. "Indeed a relevant question for this time and place, however I find myself rather uncertain of whether thou shalt be able to connect my name with my actions as a herald."

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and Kakashi suppressed another sigh as he kept a wary eye on the elder.

Could he possibly be…

"I am he who brought about peace and order, the one named Hagoromo." he paused, but neither Kakashi nor Naruto showed any signs of having recognized the name.

"Thine lack of recognition, at least, was something I did somewhat expect from our encounter. Now then…" He finally moved close enough that his face was no longer hidden in shadow, and Kakashi's suspicions were confirmed just as Naruto gave a surprised exclamation.

"Ah, your eyes! Rinnegan!"

"Thou dost appear to possess observant eyes," the Sage of the Six Paths remarked dryly. "All that remains is for thee to comprehend the reality of thy circumstances. Ye have not died yet… this place is thine inner mind, although there doth currently exist an unexpected and unusual addition within this space. I comprehend thy desire for haste, but in this current timeframe, attempting to accelerate the natural progression of events shalt accomplish naught. Nonetheless…"

"ARGH!" Naruto yelled, finally having had enough of the elder's archaic speech. "Can't you speak a bit more smoothly, with simpler, more normal words?"

"He is the legendary Sage of the Six Paths, and we are apparently within your inner mind," Kakashi said, rubbing two fingers against his temple. "What he is probably trying to tell you is that time doesn't pass the same way in here as it does in the real world, so you may as well be a bit more patient."

"Oh," Naruto said. "Then why couldn't he just say so?"

"I am an anachronism," Hagoromo stated. "Over the passage of large expanses of time, concepts such as cultural traditions, beliefs, and ethics have undergone significant change. During each occurrence of my journeying across time to meet with a reincarnate, I have observed a great number of differences between the other and myself… While I am capable of systematically educating myself in the cultural and linguistic practices of different eras, however, there will always be ambiguity in all forms of learning."

Naruto made a sound that was somewhere a scream of exasperation and a wail of despair. Kakashi felt rather inclined to agree, though he also had a sneaking suspicion that the elder was intentionally speaking in circles as payback for Naruto's earlier outbursts.

Hagoromo continued as though Naruto had not attempted to cut him off. "If it is not possible to achieve communication of wills and mutual understanding due to the difficulty of finding a definition, then I would suppose it is necessary for me to take into account the current ideological systems and worldly perspectives, to speak in a simplified manner."

"Is he an alien or something?" Naruto asked weakly, slumping against Kakashi's shoulder. "I mean, he seems super dignified, but…"

There was a brief pause as Hagoromo stared at him.

"That's a bit much, isn't it?" the aged one said, his speech style jumping forward so many centuries that Kakashi knew for certain the old man had been messing with them. "An alien, for real? Though that's not entirely off the mark, but anyway…"

Naruto boggled, and Kakashi resisted the urge to press a hand to his own forehead. Instead, he addressed an issue that had been on his mind since he found himself at that place.

"What you said earlier, about us not being dead yet… can I ask if you were definitely referring to both of us?"

Naruto's eyes immediately snapped to him, then to Hagoromo, who was silent for several long seconds before giving his reply.

"Yes."

A wide smile broke across Naruto's face as he breathed a deep sigh of relief, and Kakashi felt something tighten in his chest.

"There's more to it, isn't there?" Kakashi asked quietly. He could see the sympathy on the elder's face.

They were not dead yet.

"Your intuition is correct." Hagoromo replied simply. "However, before we address that particular matter, I would like you to listen… no, it is imperative that you listen."

Naruto opened his mouth again, but the Sage suddenly grabbed hold of his levitating shakujou and touched one end of the staff to the water beneath their feet. The surface rippled, and an image appeared at Naruto's feet – like a shadow, or perhaps a reflection. The image was of a young man, brown-haired and brown-eyed with a strong jawline. He was clad in a plain, old-fashioned kimono, with a pattern of six magatama adorning the collar.

Something about the sight of him had Naruto completely taken aback, and he was still staring when Kakashi shifted his attention back to the legendary sage before them.

"You are my son Asura's…" Hagoromo mused, but did not complete the sentence. The image vanished, and thoughts spun furiously in Kakashi's head as the elder spoke again.

"Now, this is what I need to relay to you…"

Unnerved by what he had seen, Naruto finally chose to listen instead of continuing his bombardment of questions.

.

"…And from that day on, an interminable conflict began. Even after their flesh perished the chakra of my two sons did not dissipate – instead they were reincarnated, again and again, across all the time that has passed."

"It… kind of sounds like being haunted by a ghost," Naruto said, sounding rather strained. "That's a bit creepy. So, is it still possessing someone even now?"

Even without hearing the elder's reply, Kakashi already knew what the answer would be. He was quite certain that Naruto suspected it too, but perhaps he still needed that final confirmation…

"It's you, Naruto," said the Sage of the Six Paths. "Asura, the younger brother, was reincarnated as you."

Naruto was silent.

"You don't seem too surprised," Hagoromo remarked after a long pause. "Perhaps you have already sensed Asura's presence within you?"

Naruto gave a short, curt nod.

"Then you must know who the older brother, Indra, reincarnated as."

Naruto uncrossed his arms and let them fall to his sides. His hand brushed against Kakashi's as he did so, and both started at the unexpected contact.

Kakashi stuck his hands in his pockets, and very carefully avoided meeting Naruto's gaze.

"Ah – yes," Naruto said, after another curious glance at Kakashi. "It's Sasuke, isn't it?"

The Sage nodded. "So you did sense it after all."

Naruto ran a hand through his hair distractedly, and sighed. "I don't know how I know it," he said, frowning. "But for a while I've had the feeling that – "

He shook his head, not really know what to say. "It feels like I almost know something. Like I can almost remember. Even though I really don't know anything at all, I just have… a feeling, that something's different. I've never been able to explain it, so…" his gaze briefly met Kakashi's, before he finally looked back towards the ancient one. "I never told anyone."

"Many of Indra and Asura's reincarnates remained unaware for the entirety of their lives," Hagoromo said, grave. "And yet they invariably warred against each other."

"Who were the ones before us?" Naruto asked, even though he could already guess. "What happened to them?"

"The reincarnates of the previous generation were Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara," the Sage answered. "Hashirama was Asura, and Madara was Indra. I am certain you know what became of them."

The man who lead the formation of their world order, and the man who sought to tear it all down.

Hagoromo gave them a moment to process that information, then continued. "However, Madara created a certain problem before the end of his life. He was so obsessed with power that he stole some of Hashirama's – which, in short, caused the merging of some of Asura's chakra with Indra's. The result was essentially the same as my own chakra. Indeed, that was how he awakened the Rinnegan. I had foreseen that such a thing would eventually happen with Indra or one of his reincarnates, and so I left behind a stone tablet containing my writings in hopes that they would reconsider. Alas, it seems that none could comprehend its meaning…"

"So that means… you've basically been watching your kids fight for all this time?" Naruto asked with some hesitation.

"Yes," the Sage replied simply. "I suppose you could say that."

Naruto cast his gaze down at the gently rippling waters. "I see…" he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

Kakashi saw a flicker of surprise pass the old man's solemn features.

"There is no need to apologise, Naruto," Hagoromo said kindly, and Naruto looked up again. "Ultimately, it was my error of judgment that created such a rift between my sons. You are Asura's reincarnation, but you are not one and the same – you bear no responsibility for his or Indra's actions."

"Do…" Naruto paused, unsure if he should ask. "Do all people reincarnate? A-and what does it mean, to be reincarnated?"

His questions hung in the air for a few seconds, then Hagoromo sighed. "I do not know for certain," he said finally. "I believe that only some souls reincarnate, and that reincarnation does not prevent them from also moving on to the Pure Land."

Kakashi looked at Naruto curiously, and was surprised to see Naruto glancing at him too before the latter quickly darted his gaze away.

"So that means I can – " Naruto stopped himself abruptly. "Right. Okay. Good…"

He was taking these revelations far more calmly than Kakashi would have expected.

The conversation between the Sage and Naruto was perfectly comprehensible, yet Kakashi found himself feeling increasingly out of his depth. He felt strangely detached from what was going on, and despite all the questions in his mind he said not a word.

A cold numbness was gradually settling into his body, and it was such an old, familiar feeling by now that he had almost failed to notice. There was reassurance in the sensation – it meant that back in the physical world, his life-transfer jutsu had not been interrupted. Time may not pass in the same way, but eventually… eventually, it would be complete.

And he would be dead. He should already be dead, instead of lingering where he did not belong. Naruto must live, must return – and so Kakashi must die. The resurrection jutsu demanded an equal exchange of lives, and Kakashi had already committed his as the price for Naruto's resurrection.

The curtains were falling over his life, so why was he still there?

The play had ended; it was over. He had long ago chosen his own end.

And yet Naruto still believed they could both be saved. Kakashi knew he should say something, anything… but his voice failed him. Wait just a little longer, whispered a soft, treacherous voice in his mind. It's only one more thing you'll be late for. Stay here, just a little while longer…

You'll never see him again.

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H̶a̶g̶o̶r̶o̶m̶o̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶l̶o̶w̶k̶e̶y̶ ̶a̶ ̶t̶r̶o̶l̶l̶.̶

I've been sitting on this draft for too long and decided ahhh fuck it just post the thing.

What do you think will happen next? I'd love to read your guesses :3 or just what you think of the story so far! :D

Cover art by shikaobing.